New life expectancy data reveals where people in Croatia live longer
- by croatiaweek
- in News
Croatia
The latest Eurostat data shows that life expectancy in the European Union has reached a new high, recovering from the declines caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2023, life expectancy at birth in the EU stood at 81.4 years, an increase of 0.8 years compared to 2022.
This marks a full recovery and surpasses pre-pandemic levels, with life expectancy now 3.8 years higher than in 2002.
Where Do People Live the Longest?
The EU region with the highest life expectancy in 2023 was Comunidad de Madrid in Spain, where residents are expected to live an impressive 86.1 years.
Other regions with high life expectancy include Provincia Autonoma di Trento in Italy (85.1 years), Åland in Finland (85.1 years), Comunidad Foral de Navarra in Spain (85.0 years), and Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano/Bozen in Italy (85.0 years).
On the other end of the scale, the lowest life expectancy was recorded in three Bulgarian regions: Severozapaden (73.9 years), Severen tsentralen (75.2 years), and Yugoiztochen (75.1 years).
Also among the bottom five were Észak-Magyarország in Hungary and Mayotte in France, both at 74.9 years.
How Does Croatia Compare?
In Croatia, life expectancy at birth varied by region. People living along the Adriatic coast had a higher life expectancy than those in continental areas.
Coastal Croatia: 79.4 years
Continental Croatia: 77.4 years
Northern Croatia: 78.2 years
This trend follows a familiar pattern, with coastal regions often enjoying better air quality, healthier diets, and more outdoor lifestyles, all contributing to longer lifespans.
Women Expected to Live Longer
As in previous years, women in the EU continue to outlive men. In 2023, life expectancy for women was 84.0 years, while for men it was 78.7 years—a gap of 5.3 years.
The widest gender gaps were in Latvia (10.1 years), Lithuania (9.0 years), and Estonia (8.8 years). In contrast, the smallest differences were in the Netherlands (3.0 years), Sweden (3.3 years), and Luxembourg (3.3 years).
In Croatia, the gender gap stood at just over 6 years, meaning Croatian women generally live longer than Croatian men, though the gap is smaller than in some other EU countries.
In 2023, life expectancy at birth for women was 5.3 years longer than that for men, with variations between EU countries. 👫
— EU_Eurostat (@EU_Eurostat) March 14, 2025
🔹Gender gap in life expectancy at birth ranged from: 3.0 years in 🇳🇱 Netherlands to 10.1 years in 🇱🇻Latvia.
Learn more 👉 https://t.co/ghZRBZlYwP pic.twitter.com/0T5qeJTiBi
The latest data shows a positive trend across Europe, with life expectancy recovering and even surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
